1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of blankets and similar apparatus for wrapping and protecting infants, and more particularly to blankets whose configuration may be readily changed to adapt them for use while the infant is placed in a car seat, stroller, pack, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern child car restraint systems, baby carrying packs (both back and front style), strollers, grocery carts, walkers, infant and toddler bicycle seats (which attach to an adult's bicycle), swings and other infant and toddler accessories, are designed to restrain the child's torso, while leaving the head and limbs free to move naturally. Child car seats are particularly important to the health and safety of infants, and are equipped with a restraint system (or harness) which has either three or five anchor points. In a typical three point system, a first restraining member (or harness element) is anchored to the set and extends upward between the child's legs at the crotch. Second and third harness elements are anchored to the backrest portion of the seat and extend over the left and right shoulders of the child. The three harness elements are joined together by one or more suitable buckles or clasps in front of the child's torso. The lengths of the harness elements are adjusted to hold the child's torso tightly in the car seat, while permitting free movement of the head and limbs.
Proper comfort of the child is readily accomplished with the car seat restraint systems and other infant equipment in use today provided the child is clothed in conventional, fitted attire. However, a child that is wrapped in a blanket cannot be properly restrained. It is necessary to remove the blanket from around the child, fasten the harness around the unwrapped child, and then attempt to tuck the blanket over the child and the harness. The blanket cannot provide continuous coverage of the child's shoulders, back and buttocks. Alternatively, if the restraint harness is placed over the blanket in which the child is wrapped, the restraint cannot be properly applied. The crotch harness member cannot be properly positioned between the child's legs, and the child's arms are trapped beneath both blanket and harness.
Similar problems arise when the baby is placed in a front or back pack, stroller, walker, and other carriers which hold the baby in place by means of a member which passes between the baby's legs and supports the baby's weight. These carriers require the use of fitted attire on the baby so that the supporting member can pass between the baby's legs and rest against the baby's crotch.
Various inventors have recognized the need for baby care apparatus to provide a wrap for the use in car seats and similar carriers, which allow for proper restraint as well as warmth and comfort for the infant. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,724 of Barnes discloses a full size baby blanket, the lower half of which is covered with a large pocket which may be detached from the blanket, which further incorporates a slot for inserting a safety belt for the car seat between the baby's legs when the baby is wrapped in the blanket. The blanket disclosed by Barnes cannot be reconfigured into another type of shawl or wrap, however. The slot or slit arrangement disclosed by Barnes also presents the likelihood of difficulty in routing the seat belt because of misalignment between the blanket and attached pocket which may be expected to occur while the blanket is wrapped around the baby. U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,903 of Farrell likewise discloses a blanket with a pouch or pocket for holding the baby, and outer portions of the blanket which can be folded over the baby. Farrell does not disclose a means for passing a car seat strap through the blanket, and the baby's placement with both legs in a single cavity of the pouch does not allow for arranging such a strap outside the blanket. In addition, Farrell does not disclose any means for securing the outer portions of the blanket around the baby, thus leaving the outer portions free to unfold and expose the baby's upper body when the baby wiggles and moves about.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,586 of Sies discloses a blanket which fits over and is secured to the car seat, but does not wrap around the baby and cannot be configured for use on the baby outside of the car seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,090 of Ranalli discloses a blanket that covers a child's car seat and has several apertures through which the restraining belts of the car seat can pass so as to secure the child. The blanket then folds up over the child to keep it warm. It may be seen that the Ranalli blanket must be first placed in the seat and the straps run through it before the baby can be inserted; the baby cannot be wrapped in the blanket and then placed in the car seat.
A product named Teddy Toes (1-800-51-TEDDY) is similar to the Farrell invention, but instead of a pouch uses separate legs for the infant. While this allows use of a car seat restraining strap between the infant's legs, it does not provide a means for securing the outer portions of the blanket around the baby, thus leaving the outer portions free to unfold and expose the baby's upper body when the baby wiggles and moves about. Like the Farrell invention, the Teddy Toes provides one configuration only.